Actors in Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father:

Full Plot Details

A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.

Review & Comments

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Movie Reviews

New York Magazine (Vulture) - 9/10 by David EdelsteinAmong the most enraging (documentaries) I've ever seen, and while it's fine and heartfelt and I commend it to those of you with strong constitutions, it is the film that has finally broken me.

Los Angeles Times - 9/10 by Robert AbeleAn undeniably shattering story, if forgivably shaky in its impassioned, therapeutic unfolding.

Film Threat - 9/10 by Scott MendelsonThe film's overall result is a document of towering, devastating emotional impact.

Portland Oregonian - 8/10 by Stan HallYou can't help getting emotionally involved, and as the central outrage -- a case of judicial negligence that would seem unbelievable in a work of fiction -- plays out, you feel the pain and anger that Bagby's family and friends experienced. Then the story takes a final, horrible twist that's almost too much to endure.

Village Voice - 8/10 by Martin TsaiKuenne lovingly assembles home-movie footage and new interviews, while deftly borrowing a narrative trick from fiction--the plot twist--to create a true-crime story so gripping, devastating, and ultimately unforgettable that it easily trumps any thriller Hollywood has to offer this year.

The Hollywood Reporter - 8/10 by Sheri LindenWithout becoming a screed for victims' rights, the riveting film shows how in the face of terrible events a grieving parent is galvanized into activism.

The New York Times - 8/10 by Stephen HoldenIt is impossible not to be fired up by Kurt Kuenne's incendiary cri de coeur, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father.

Entertainment Weekly - 7/10 by Lisa SchwarzbaumThe facts are so awful that Dear Zacharycan be forgiven much of its antsiness--as a memorial, as a condolence to Bagby’s parents (who became activists for judicial reform in their late son's honor), and as a howl of grief.

Variety - 5/10 by Peter DebrugeThe way Kuenne presents the material, with an aggressive style that lingers less than a second on most shots, it's impossible not to feel emotionally exhausted.

User Review - 10/10 by NeverpearlI think some people missed the point of the way this film was made--it has a home made, family type feel because it is a deeply personal and heartbreaking story. It is an effective way to tell a terrible story, and I was very impressed because it actually inspired me to want to do something to help and not just carry on with my day as so many more professional documentaries do. Excellent and moving. On a personal note, it made me very ashamed of my native legal system (I'm a Canadian).